


Braids

by Capucine



Category: Naruto
Genre: Could be seen as platonic, Drabble, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-06
Updated: 2014-07-06
Packaged: 2018-02-07 16:38:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1906143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Capucine/pseuds/Capucine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Tenten breaks her back at their first Chunin exams, it's Neji who helps to pick up the pieces.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Braids

**Author's Note:**

> I know, this is set waaaay back in the Naruto timeline, but I just had to write it.

There was something about her weakness that didn't turn Neji away. Anyone else, he would have said they deserved the trouncing because they were too weak to become chunin. However, another voice in his head said optimistically that Tenten would have made chunin if only she hadn't been paired against someone who was perfectly equipped to defeat her.

Another voice said that she needed more and better training.

But even his icy facade seemed to crack at her battered body in the hospital bed, and the creaking body brace.

"Tenten," he greeted, standing by the head of her bed. She had been nearly unconscious with the pain and then the narcotics for the past few days.

"Neji...?" she asked, opening her chocolate brown eyes to see him. She let out a sigh, long and sorrowful. "I lost."

"We won't talk about that," Neji said, deciding he was being merciful. 

Tenten gave the slightest of nods, and then reached her hands up into her hair. "Oh, crap..."

"What is it?" he asked, looking to her hair. He winced at it, imagining his own hair like that... it was a massive knot, a rat's nest.

"You're probably going to have to chop it off," the nurse said, as she helped another patient out of bed.

Neji stared at Tenten, and he swore it must be the drugs, but she was crying. She was obviously trying not to, but the narcotics were more than enough to make her emotions a lot freer than before.

As soon as the nurse had taken the patient out of the room, which was a good solid minute of Tenten holding back tears and Neji watching but not daring to say anything, he felt her hair. A bit greasy and sweaty, as well as intricately knotted.

He turned to leave. "I'll be right back."

It was a quick trip to the 'gift shop' of the hospital-- it did contain cards and other get well things such as flowers, but it also had essentials for cleanliness and the like. Neji bought two of these essentials, and headed back up to Tenten's room.

She was watching him as he came in, and stood by her head. She winced when he started spraying in conditioner to her hair, and then he began, as gently as possible, to brush it out. 

She didn't say anything. It was as if she knew she could break the spell by just a few words.

It took about a half an hour, but soon her hair was done, and then braided around her head.

"Thank you," Tenten almost whispered.

"Don't tell anyone," Neji said, which she seemed to interpret as a 'you're welcome.'

As Tenten slipped into drugged sleep, Neji left. He had a lot of training to do. But her face when he did her hair for her stuck in his mind. 

He wasn't sure if it was a face he wanted to see again or not.


End file.
